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Grimaldi Forum reaches major milestone

by: Cassandra Tanti
10/07/2020

The Grimaldi Forum team has celebrated its 20th anniversary with Prince Albert, a momentous occasion during which details of two upcoming summer exhibitions were revealed.
Prince Albert joined a large cohort of Grimaldi Forum Monaco (GFM) employees on
Thursday 9th July to mark an important anniversary not only for the congress and culture centre, but for Monaco.
Given the coronavirus crisis, it is perhaps not the party that everyone had in mind, however the GFM team were keen to give it a good crack.
It is this enormous team spirit which is at the heart of the success of the Grimaldi Forum, said Sylvie Biancheri, General Director of the GFM, which has been an “extraordinary human adventure, with a team which has largely been there since the start and which each new recruit enthusiastically joins.”
In fact, more than half of the workforce has been with the centre for more than 10 years, while 25% have been part of the team since 2000.
After the screening of a film on the history of the Grimaldi Forum, Sylvie Biancheri spoke about the incredible rise of the institution, which had achieved record figures in 2019 with a turnover of €24 million, 290,000 visitors and almost 120 events. This was on the back of five years of constant growth.
Building on these figures, it was said that the Grimaldi Forum Monaco remains optimistic about its future. Recovery is expected from September when a full calendar of events kicks off, including an exciting new hybrid concept utilising digital meetings.
Indeed, the centre is refocussing its commercial strategy, launching a 360° virtual reality tour of the venue before the end of the year – an innovative way to introduce people to its new 600 sqm terrace in September and the building’s upcoming extension into the new Marretera eco-district.
In terms of culture and in light of the disappointing cancellation of this year’s ‘Monaco and Automobile’ exhibition, the GFM has been able to confirm that next year’s summer exhibition will be dedicated to Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti, featuring the largest selection of works ever loaned by the eponymous Foundation. The following year, in 2023, the Grimaldi Forum will showcase the master of Impressionism: Claude Monet.
In the shorter term, the GFM will mark its official birthday on 20th July with a cultural retrospective devoted to all of the 20 summer exhibitions and musical events of the past two decades, which the public can see on the GFM social networks.
 
Photos: © Grimaldi Forum Monaco 2020 JC Vinaj
 
 

Live music returns to Monaco

by: Cassandra Tanti
09/07/2020

The government has further relaxed Covid-related restrictions in the Principality, a move that is being welcomed by restaurants and bars who are keen to boost clientele.
Following a ministerial decision on 26th June, the rules for musical ambiance and table spacing in restaurants and bars have been rolled back somewhat.
Since Monday 6th July, the required distance between tables has been reduced from 1.5 metres to 1 metre – not far from the standard.
Meanwhile, live bands and DJs can once again perform throughout Monaco, however there will be a sound limitation of 74 decibels in certain venues. As the chart shows below, this is quite low – equivalent to the sound of a vacuum cleaner.

Decibels chart, courtesy Lion Stone Events

But the sound restriction will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis at the operator’s request and assessed depending on the configuration of the venue and the type of live music.
 
Photo: Live events band Four Kicks, courtesy Studio Cabrelli
 
 

What property features are HNW house hunters looking for?

by: Cassandra Tanti
08/07/2020

From waterfront views to private pools, in-house chefs to wine cellars, the world’s super-rich home buyers have a slightly different list of property requirements compared to the average buyer.
Research from leading high-net-worth (HNW) mortgage broker Enness Global has revealed which luxury property features have seen the biggest surge in popularity since the start of the year.
Most popular property features 
Wherever you are buying at the top end of the market, the same property features appear to hold the greatest interest amongst buyers.
New-builds, a spa, a furnished property, a garage, a garden, a good view and a waterfront property consistently ranked in the top five features across London, Monaco, Singapore, New York, Honk Kong and Dubai.
A new property was of the greatest interest to buyers in London, Singapore, New York and Hong Kong.
In Monaco, unsurprisingly with space at a premium, homebuyers searching for a property with a garage was by far the most sought-after requirement, even double that of the next most popular search term: ‘new’.
Biggest increases in interest
However, while these traditional property features will always hold a strong level of interest, a number of additional features have seen a sharp uplift in buyer search interest so far this year when compared to the same time last year.
Sea views, a library, private pools, upgraded and modern homes, home gyms, a wine cellar, a chef, security, a games room and a sauna are some of the most common features to have seen an increase.
In London, searches for properties with upgraded specifications above and beyond that of the regular home have seen the largest increase (+67%), along with wine cellars (+50%) and home gyms (+28%).

Interestingly, in Monaco, searches for a sauna have seen a surge (+122%), with both a sea view (+77%) and a view in general (+45%) also growing in popularity, perhaps due to the fact that people were confined to their properties for a number of months this year.
In Singapore, homes with a games rooms have seen the largest uplift in interest (+118%), while in New York private pools (+245%), home gyms (158%) and wine cellars (+42%) have increased in popularity.
In Hong Kong, searches for homes with a garage (+731%), sea view (+205%) and library (+113%) have increased the most, with a sea view (+368%) and a library (+184%) also increasing in popularity in Dubai, along with private pools (+166%).
“For most of us, an affordable asking price and a pleasant property are the biggest requirements when house hunting, but this certainly isn’t the case when it comes to the super-rich,” says Hugh Wade-Jones, managing director of Enness Global Mortgages. “That said, even at the very top end of the market, homebuyers tend to prioritise the same key features as most of us. A garage, a garden, perhaps some furnishings and a pleasant view are the foundations of most property searches.”
“But above and beyond these basic needs, it’s interesting to see what has now grown in popularity with current buyers when compared to this time last year,” adds Mr Wade-Jones. “With the current pandemic impacting all of us, features to enhance health and social wellbeing are rapidly growing in demand. Today’s high-end homebuyer wants a clean, new home, with modern features and appliances. They want an enhanced level of security and they want health and fitness outlets such as spas, gyms and pools. Throw in a fine wine cellar and a games room and you’re ticking almost every box.”
 
Photo: Spacious villa in Provençal countryside

 
 
 

Digital forum showcasing local artists

by: Cassandra Tanti
04/06/2020

The 5th Monaco Artists Forum, featuring both amateur and professional artists in the Principality, kicks off on Friday 5th June and will take the form of a virtual exhibition this year.
The biennial event normally takes place at the beginning of June at the Rainier III Auditorium and is highly awaited by artists from Monaco.
The initiative, conceived by the Prince’s Government and implemented by the Directorate of Cultural Affairs, aims to support local artists and integrate them into the Principality’s cultural policy.
The objective, particularly pertinent during this crisis period, is to ensure continuity in terms of cultural programming and to offer an interesting alternative to its many participants.
Nearly 80 artists, amateurs and professionals, Monegasques and residents, present their work on canvas, expressing themselves in the fields of painting, sculpture, and photography.
Once again, the public will have an opportunity to vote online for their favourite work. The winner will be announced on 13th June on the home page of the website – www.forumdesartistes.mc – which will honour the work and its creator.
This virtual art gallery will be available until Friday 3rd July. A catalogue of the 5th Monaco Artists Forum will be available to download, as a souvenir of this exceptional forum.
Visit the social media sites to discover the participating artists:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Forum-des-Artistes-Monaco-100262665050818/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/forumartistesmonaco/
 
 

Parks, beaches now out of bounds

by: Cassandra Tanti
21/03/2020

The government has banned people from accessing coastal areas, public parks and gardens throughout Monaco as it ramps up lockdown measures. The order was made on Friday 20th March and took effect immediately.
Beaches that are now closed to the public are:

  • The breakwater around the Monte-Carlo Sporting Club
  • The Méridien Beach Plaza private beach
  • The entire Larvotto Cove
  • The Portier Cove
  • The dykes of Port Hercule including the Lucciana pier, the Rainier-III quay and the Stefano-Casiraghi promenade
  • The Pêcheurs beach and path
  • The entire eastern bank of Fontvieille
  • The western bank of Fontvieille that is part of Monaco

“For reasons of health precautions, knowing that the Covid-19 virus remains active for several hours on inert surfaces, the Prince’s Government has also decided to close access to public parks and gardens as well as the use of children’s play areas until further notice.”
The government reminds citizens that – in addition to essential business trips which cannot be postponed – only individual trips (not in groups), brief and close to the home, are authorised and for the following sole reasons:

  • To purchase supplies necessary for professional activity and purchases of basic necessities in establishments and local shops authorised to welcome the public;
  • For health reasons;
  • For compelling family reasons, for assistance to vulnerable persons or childcare;
  • For the individual physical activity of people, excluding any collective sports practice, and for the needs of pets.

“The government urges all residents to respect the provisions, the only effective way to break the chain of transmission of the virus. Everyone is responsible for everyone’s safety.”
 
 

Boosting train services to Monaco

by: Cassandra Tanti
30/01/2020

Monaco is pushing for France and Italy to increase their train services for workers travelling in to and out of Monaco each day.
Monaco’s Minister of Equipment, Environment and Town Planning Marie-Pierre Gramaglia welcomed a delegation from the European Commission to the Monaco train station on Thursday 30th January as part of its two-day mission in the southern region of the Mediterranean Corridor – a railway infrastructure project that crosses six countries and covers close to 10,000 kilometres.
Iveta Radicova, EU Coordinator of the Mediterranean Corridor, was accompanied by Vice Delegate for Transport, Intermodality and Travel in the PACA Region Philippe Tabarot, and officials from the Nice Metropolis, Liguria and Piedmont regions.

© Direction de la Communication / Michael Alesi

The objective of the meeting was to present cross-border issues on the Nice-Monaco-Ventimiglia-Genoa axis. “As an economic player at the heart of this vast regional area, our country welcomes nearly 45,000 French and Italian employees every day who access their workplace by road or rail,” said Ms Gramaglia. “We are promoting a modal shift to public transport with the objective of reducing the flow of light vehicles by around 20% by 2030. This represents nearly 13,000 incoming and outgoing vehicles and 10,000 internal vehicles. This is why developing access to Monaco by rail is one of the priorities of our mobility policy.”
The train, and more specifically the TER, represents an essential alternative to cars in accessing Monaco, with 6.4 million journeys made by TER trains to and from Monaco in 2018.
“We are campaigning to improve and intensify the current offer of rail services in the Principality, with an increase in supply during morning and evening peak hours,” said the minister.